There is an increased awareness of concepts such as the philosophy of Feng Shui and Sick Building Syndrome with respect to employee health and job efficiency. Feng Shui (literal translation—“Wind-Water,” referring to two of the principal energies), is the art and science of bringing the energy of one's environment into harmony with one's own energy. According to Feng Shui principles aquariums have a very high amount of positive energy (Water, Air, Light). Aquariums can also help prevent Sick Building Syndrome. They act as a natural air filter that removes room odors, dust, and other airborne allergens. moreover, aquariums have a demonstrated calming effect on humans. Data by Nancy Edwards at Purdue University shows Alzheimer's sufferers are calmer (up to 17%) in the presence of aquariums. Even children love to watch fish.
Keeping aquatic organisms has a long history. From first century Chinese goldfish ponds to modern day public aquariums capable of containing and sustaining captured whales. The art of keeping aquaria will continue to benefit the health and peace of mind of humans ensuring that the containers housing organisms are as visually pleasing as possible is a meaningful contribution to this art.
1. Field of the Invention
This invention falls within the general field of equipment used to control the environmental quality inside and outside of an aquarium. There are a variety of tubes and cylinders that provide necessary functions in modern aquariums. In the pet business or hobby, none of these “tubes” (medium transfer devices), from water siphons, water intakes on pumps, pump output, ball and socket tubes, gas flow (air, CO2), diffusers, water “lift” tubes, to tubes that provide hiding places for the resident fish are designed to be decorative and/or to accept the addition of small decorations to the tube. Attachment means on the non-widened non-planar expanses of certain such said structures may be formed in any manner which is suitable for use under water and allows for quick and easy removal and re-attachment. Suitable means of attachment include plastic snaps, fish hook type fasteners, hook and loop fasteners and the like. A preferred method of attachment involves a slide in groove method with interlocking grooves on the tube and the ornament. Also, slit and prong mechanism s can be used in conjunction with the slide in groove method or independently as the attachment means. In this invention, structures which exist for fish hiding, the maintenance of water purity, and transfer or gasification of fluids, such as filters, lift tubes, conduits and the like are combined with ornamentation so that the environment remains good for the organisms inside the aquarium or terrarium while at the same time there is no sacrifice of aesthetic appeal to the human observer on the outside.
2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR Sections 1.97 and 1.98.
The prior art contains attachment grids at the bottom of the aquarium which may or may not be coupled with an undergravel filter. The purpose of these attachment grids is to anchor live plants or ornaments so that they are not disturbed during cleaning of the aquarium or by the animals which live in the aquarium. Such attachment grids require a “flat” or at least “widened” support expanse for the attachment of ornaments within the aquarium. Many artificial aquarium plants currently being manufactured are provided with some form of anchoring base, such as for example a disk-like member, and hence already incorporate a removable coupling means between the plant and the existing anchor.
The prior art also contains ornamental objects releasably mounted to a base at the bottom of the tank and used in combination with a heater. In at least one patent, the base is enlarged into an ornamental contoured structure meant to resemble the bottom of a body of water for scenic purposes. Non-ornamental structures, such as lift tubes can rise up out of this base.
The prior art also contains a mounting element for an ornament that fits onto the end of a conduit thereby holding the conduit submerged while looking good at the same time.
All available ornamental devices are provided with one of two main attachment schemes. Either there is a base as described above, covered by a blanketing material such as gravel or sand which maintains the device at the bottom of the tank and thereby limits its positioning or there is a suction cup. Suction cup type devices are suboptimal since the flexible rubber or plastic cup deteriorates and loses its adhesive quality.
None of the earlier patents suggest the attachment of ornaments to the sides of narrow or cylindrical structures that extend up into the water column, such as, for example, the lift tubes or conduits themselves. Thus, with all the effort to provide ornamentation to an aquarium or enhance its aesth tic appeal, there often remain certain obvious mechanical devices extending into the water. Accordingly it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an apparatus whereby any structure extending into the viewable reaches of the aquatic enclosure can be transmogrified aesthetically to please one visually.